Children’s Books
Marie Louise Fitzpatrick’s There (Roaring Brook Press) takes a journey through the fanciful mind of a curious little girl. Where exactly is ‘There’ she wonders as she considers what she might find if she ventures to that dreamy place. Will she know how to count stars? Will there be dragons? Will other people go There? Each colourful spread, executed with Fitzpatrick’s unique charm, homes right into the enigmatic imagery of childhood.
The Third Pig Detective Agency by Bob Burke (Friday Books; €8.80 HB) is set in the gangster demi-monde of hard-boiled criminals and sleazy gin-joints. Mix Hammett, Chandler and Damon Runyon, stir in a handful of fairytale characters with dodgy attitude, add in a private eye called Harry Pigg and you have all the ingredients for a chaotic romp. The first-person narration bounces along with unflagging, laugh-aloud hilarity — a treat for any age. Harry Pigg is destined for a cult following.
